RIO TINTO PLC AND ASBESTOS

Early day motion 478, tabled 26 November 2001 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 106 members.

That this House expresses its condemnation of Rio Tinto, the UK based multinational mining conglomerate, for having sought to avoid liability for asbestos-related disease claims, under the proposed Capper Pass Claims Review Scheme; is gravely concerned to learn that former workers, as well as residents in Kingston upon Hull and East Yorkshire, or their next of kin, who have suffered industrial disease or illness, as a result of exposure to carcinogens, ionising radiation and toxic substances, arising from Rio Tinto's operation of the former Capper Pass Smelting Plant near Hull, are still waiting for compensation; declares its support for those families; commends them upon their courage and tenacity in standing up to Rio Tinto; is appalled by the fact that Rio Tinto's decision to exclude asbestos was kept secret until the final stages of mediation, a full 15 months after the claimants' solicitor had accepted the Claims' Review Scheme in principle; and demands that Rio Tinto should now acknowledge and accept its responsibility towards all of the claimants, to include those who have suffered asbestos-related disease or death and ensure that in the future it ceases to deploy such delaying and obstructive tactics.

Signatures by party: Labour 96, Liberal Democrat 4, Labour/Co-operative 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1.